Manga is the Japanese word for comics and print cartoons. Its modern form started after World War II but it has a long history that started in early Japanese art. Manga is read by all aged and its content is very broad and includes: sports, history, sexuality, comedy and more. It’s also written from right to left unlike literature. The content of Manga is mostly pictures and it very easy to understand the words unlike literature, where words can be complicated and ambivalent. In addition, there are very few words in Manga. Moreover, Magna is structured as comics, there aren’t many full sentences. Lastly, the characters in Manga are very unique; every character is very special in its fashion, behavior and skills (there aren’t boring characters). Furthermore, the characters are immortal, everything is allowed in Manga; the concepts of time and space don’t exist as is literature.
Images have the ability to express the character’s emotions. Looking at pictures helps the reader understand the story (scene) much better than in a literature piece. Therefore, the message of the story is understood much better by the reader. Images as well have the ability to express a message which understood more precisely by the readers. The writer/painter has the ability to present his art in two mediums rather than one medium.
The concept of Christianity is very strong in Bleach. “Hallows” that exist in Bleach are spirits that fed by others spirit. Also Christianity gives a lot of importance and recognizes spirits as part of the world. Also concepts from Buddhism exists, there is the concept of reincarnation that the soul roll from life cycle to the next.
I think that the main lesson of Bleach is pretty much like the Bleach we use to clean cloths and our house. The Bleach’s lesson is about cleaning the soul in the world and help the lost souls to find there home.
Questions
For Bleach (due 5/7)
1) Use Wikipedia and Google to get some basic background information on Manga. Create a short list of 5 ways in which Manga differs from the traditional literature we've read this term. Be sure to explore style and content.
2) As you read Bleach, notice that the importance of the words and the images varies from page to page. Choose a page that consists almost entirely of images and discuss how image use affects your understanding of the story. What can images do that words cannot?
3) Research and define two religious or mythical concepts from Bleach that relate to a) Christianity, and b) Japanese mysticism
4) What do you think is Bleach's main lesson? Provide page references for your peers to verify your argument.
Princess AI (due 5/12):
1) Do some research on Courtney Love--based on your findings, how "biographical" is this manga?
2) How are women portrayed in this text relative to women we encountered in other readings this semester?
3) Costume and body shape plays an important role in manga - provide a brief list of the cultural impressions you receive when looking at these elements in this text. Provide page references to support your argument.
1) Use Wikipedia and Google to get some basic background information on Manga. Create a short list of 5 ways in which Manga differs from the traditional literature we've read this term. Be sure to explore style and content.
2) As you read Bleach, notice that the importance of the words and the images varies from page to page. Choose a page that consists almost entirely of images and discuss how image use affects your understanding of the story. What can images do that words cannot?
3) Research and define two religious or mythical concepts from Bleach that relate to a) Christianity, and b) Japanese mysticism
4) What do you think is Bleach's main lesson? Provide page references for your peers to verify your argument.
Princess AI (due 5/12):
1) Do some research on Courtney Love--based on your findings, how "biographical" is this manga?
2) How are women portrayed in this text relative to women we encountered in other readings this semester?
3) Costume and body shape plays an important role in manga - provide a brief list of the cultural impressions you receive when looking at these elements in this text. Provide page references to support your argument.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Hi Matan,
I agree with most of what you said. However, I find that a lot of times, it would be harder to understand the dialogue even though it is mostly pictures. Since Manga is translated from the Japanese language, it may have originally have used puns and other special phrases that would sound weird and unfamiliar when translated. Because of this, we may be missing a part of the experience obtained by reading the original Manga.
Hey Matan,
Although it seems that pictures are better at illustrating a scenario, it is not always the case. There are many words-only books that can literally bring the characters to life. The words used in these books are so detailed and "accurate" that I can paint myself a mental picture inside my mind. So I think it is arguable which is superior in conveying an idea or expressing the artist's intentional message.
Also, I agree with Betty's comment that sometimes you will notice in translated literature, a lot of subtle qualities are lost. Since a lot of colloquial expressions and slangs defy translation.
I agree with you about the pictures. They really do bring a character and its feeling closer to the reader. Manga relies on Pictures without them manga wont be it honestly I think manga is for a lazy reader then for a reader that really appreciates literature.
Post a Comment